Connecting - Coweta Living 2010-2011

Connecting

A publication of

The Times-Herald

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[Connecting]

Coweta offers many ways for families to connect with others By

By Nichole Nichole Golden Golden

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urn off the TV and the Wii and have a fun family day. There’s more than ever before for families to enjoy in Coweta.

Newnan’s YMCA has “family” in its name and is a place where families and fitness meet. The Summit Family YMCA, located at 1765 E. Hwy. 34 in Newnan, offers aquatics, tennis, cardio theater, running and walking clubs and other fitness programs. The YMCA’s Coach Approach program offers

New members Nick Fisher and his sons Caleb, 8, Brayden, 2, and Austin, 4, get ready to go inside the YMCA in Newnan to work out and play.

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Kids’ Castle Park

individuals “yet to be fit” tailored

children are supervised by the

citizens on a fixed income, or

plans and coaching to help achieve

YMCA’s Child Watch staff.

families facing a job loss. The Y’s

fitness goals. While moms and dads are working out, or taking classes,

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Membership scholarships are available to single parents, senior

teen outreach and summer camp day programs also teach participants

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Enjoy the great outdoors at the area’s parks and playgrounds.

Newnan Utilities’ Carl Miller Park is a favorite among children for its Kids’ Castle playground. about character development and

information on the county’s

making lasting friendships.

recreation programs, and links to the

For details on the Summit

associations including Sharpsburg

Family YMCA, visit

AABC Baseball, Senoia Little League

http://www.ymcaatlanta.org/Branch

and the Coweta County Soccer

es/SFY-Summit_YMCA/default.asp

Association, visit www.coweta.ga.us.

or call 770-254-9622.

Participation in team sports can

Newnan’s Ashley Park is becoming the hangout spot for

be a great experience for children

shoppers and window shoppers

and parents. In Coweta, team sports

alike. Coweta teen Nick Anderson,

for children and adults are offered

who loves going to Ashley Park with

through the Coweta County

friends and family, says it has all the

Recreation Department, and several

components for a great day. “You

volunteer football, baseball and

can go to watch a movie, then go out

softball associations. For more

to eat, there’s so many choices.

There are plenty of shops to go to.

Little ones enjoy the Newnan Community Theatre Company’s KIDS Camp.

Ashley Park has something to suit all tastes,” said Anderson. Every summer, the Regal Georgian 14 Theater at Ashley Park offers free movies for families two mornings a week. Barnes & Noble has free storytime programs year-round.

Parents can tire out the kids with a trip to the indoor playground, Monkey Joe’s. Ashley Park holds many special events during the holidays, such as musical performances at its anchor stores or visits from Santa. The open-air retail venue is located at 370 Newnan Crossing Bypass.

Dive into a good book and introduce your children to a lifelong

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[Connecting] A spring event at Ashley Park

Powers’ Festival The Clydesdales visit Ashley Park

The Carnegie Library in downtown Newnan

Magician and ventriloquist Keith Karnok performs at the Central Library.

The summer reading programs feature great entertainment from magicians to musicians. love of reading at any of Coweta’s

Grantville Library opens this year.

public libraries. Throughout the

The City of Newnan’s Carnegie

year, the libraries have storytimes for

Library is at 1 LaGrange St.

toddlers and older kids, as well as

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Take in a show or concert at the

book clubs for adults. The summer

Centre for Performing and Visual

reading programs feature great

Arts in Newnan. The Centre has free

entertainment from magicians to

art exhibits for families in its

musicians. The Central Library is

galleries. The 2010-2011

located at 85 Literary Lane in east

performance lineup includes the

Coweta. The A. Mitchell Powell Jr.

Annie Moses Band in December

Library is at 25 Hospital Rd. Senoia

2010, the Golden Dragon Acrobats in

has a branch library, and the

January 2011, and the National

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Player Theatre’s production of The Scarlet Letter in March 2011. A series of educational shows for children is open to public and private school students, as well as home-schooled students. Shows for the 2010-2011 season include Anne of Green Gables, The Rainbow Fish and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. The Centre is located at 1523 Lower Fayetteville Rd. in Newnan and is home to the Masterworks Chorale and Centre Strings. For details, visit www.thecentreonline.net.

NCTC, the Newnan Community Theatre Company, also offers family productions and a KIDS Camp each year. The Secret Garden will be among the productions to enchant young patrons this fall. For this season’s schedule or information on camps, visit www.newnantheatre.org.

Enjoy the great outdoors at the area’s parks and playgrounds.

Newnan Utilities’ Carl Miller Park on Sewell Road in Newnan is a favorite among children for its Kids’ Castle playground. The park also has a preschool playground, a water splash feature and walking trails.

The two-acre Greenville Street Park is beautifully maintained by the City of Newnan. It features a small amphitheatre and quiet

Layla Hickman models an outfit by "Trendy Little Southern Girls" at last year’s Powers' Festival.

picnic areas near the playground.

a Civil War-era bridge and

glow-in-the dark mini golf and an

The city’s new pool at Willie

impressive granite outcroppings

arcade. Leagues are offered for all

Lynch Park is also bound to

along the rushing stream. Wade in

ages of bowlers – youth to seniors.

become a popular summertime

the shoals for a day of old-

Learn about the leagues at

destination.

fashioned fun. (Use caution as the

www.junctionlanes.com.

Families can enjoy the beauty

rocks are sometimes slippery.) The

Coweta County has plenty of

of the natural world with an outing

trust’s website,

seasonal fairs and festivals to enjoy

to Line Creek Nature Preserve,

www.sctlandtrust.org, has

such as the Powers’ Festival held

operated by the Southern

information on Line Creek and its

each Labor Day weekend, and the

Conservation Trust. Situated off

other community preserves.

events of Main Street Newnan such

Join a bowling league

as Market Day and Taste of Newnan.

Highway 54 at the Fayette/Coweta County line, the preserve has miles

coordinated by Junction Lanes of

A calendar of events can be found at

of hiking trails. See the remains of

Newnan, which has cosmic bowling,

www.explorecoweta.com.

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